Exploring natural dyes from a science viewpoint
The art of colouring textiles with natural dyes and pigments has a long history. Methods and ingredients can be handed down, chronicled, discovered by research and experiment, or a combination of any of these. This conference explores a wide variety of the features of natural dyestuffs, with discussion on sustainability, economics, safety, innovation, and more. There's a fibre-focus, but other uses of natural dyes may be explored.
Funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry's Diversity Group, the event aims to be as inclusive and as accessible as possible. Being held in a virtual world means that geographical limitations are minimised, and costs minimal when compared with the more traditional conferences - often held in big cities, with expensive accommodation, not to mention the travel, as well as the registration fee. Costs to the participants here are mainly the fees of their internet provider. It is even possible to 'attend' from a hospital bed. It is thus hoped that any 'normal' deterrents and personal difficulties will be overcome, providing for an interesting, informative and enjoyable conference, with the most diverse group of participants.
Keynote and Guest Speakers
Harold S. Freeman, Prof emeritus, NCSU, Raleigh, North Carolina,
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Riikka Räisänen, U Helsinki, Principle Investigator and Leader, BioColour, Helsinki, Finland
Riikka Räisänen (PhD) is the Principle Investigator and the Leader of the BioColour research programme (2019-2025) at the University of Helsinki. Her main research interest has been in natural colourants since her MS thesis in Craft Studies at the University of Helsinki. Räisänen has a multidisciplinary background as she started her studies with chemistry and natural sciences and combined them with textiles and education. Her PhD thesis about fungal colourants as textile dyes was completed in 2002. After that she has published scientific articles about natural colourants and books such as Dyes from Nature (2016, by Archetype Publications) in English and in Finnish. She has also a strong background as an educator as she has worked as a senior lecturer on the University of Helsinki program of Craft Studies and Craft Teacher Education.
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Mel Sweetnam
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